Richard Stead
Solution Consultant
What does your role at LAKE involve?
I'm the most senior specialist SunSystems application consultant in the LAKE team. My role mainly revolves around helping to deliver and support SunSystems implementations. “Can it do this?" and “How can we do that?" are two questions that I face regularly.
How long have you been with LAKE and what did you do before you joined?
I have been with LAKE since 2001. I graduated from Liverpool University with a degree in Mathematics and joined at Ernst & Young, where I trained and stayed for six years. Then, in 1992 after a period working as an IT consultant, I started work as a SunSystems consultant, before being attracted to work at LAKE in 2001.
What do you enjoy most about the work you do?
I enjoy making SunSystems do things that people think it's not capable of. Finding a way of over delivering in that sense is always great.
If you had to pick out three achievements or pieces of work that you're particularly proud of from your time at LAKE, what would they be?
Top of my list is the work I did to help develop the LAKE Implementation Methodology and impose standards around all our project documentation. This still makes me feel proud today - whenever I look at one of our project documents I still see evidence of the methodology and documents I designed all those years ago. I also enjoy being able to help out when we are bringing in new people and helping them get to the next level. And finally, I should list the projects that I've helped to deliver. I'm very proud of them.
What does your background, experience and knowledge mean for customers?
Having a background in accountancy is a massive thing as I'm able to advise and understand at a higher level in my particular field than others who don't have this background. Also, I think with all my years of experience at LAKE and before that, there isn't a lot that I haven't seen. This helps put customers minds at ease, as they know that I've most likely overcome problems before that are very similar to the one that they're currently facing.
What excites you most when you think about LAKE's future plans and the future of business systems in general?
I'm looking forward to the next step in the business solutions market, mainly regarding cloud, and what developments and opportunities will come from that. I'm particularly excited when I see where Infor are taking their SunSystems Cloud platform.
What do you do when you're not working?
I run a group in the south of England made up of “ex-pat" Huddersfield Town season ticket holders called the Southern Terriers. So, most Saturdays I'm organising trains & trips for us to meet up and go on the road to watch Town play live.
What is one item on your bucket list?
I would like to travel more. I'd particularly like to visit Japan and Vietnam.
What would your specialist Mastermind subject be?
Tricky one! It would have to be Huddersfield Town or maybe Spaghetti Westerns!
